Comments on: Kaine’s budget solution: Raise taxes, raid lottery and free criminals

By: LittleDavid

LittleDavid — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:15:41 +0000

Fine, just as long as the drug test is something like plucking a hair off your head and revoking your license if you had used marijuana within the past thirty days. For those that shave their heads we can go for the pubic hairs.

Science proves that the psychoactive chemicals of pot build up in your fat tissues and you can remain under the effect for days and even weeks after you smoked the joint. From personal experience I can state that this claim is not hysteria but grounded in facts.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:35:00 +0000

Better than the GOP’s zombie-like solution: borrow money… borrow money… cut taxes… borrow money…

Nice to see a little fiscal responsibility – brought to you – as is more often than not the case – by a Democrat.

By: Max Shapiro

Max Shapiro — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:13:20 +0000

Good point, as long as they do not legalize spinal taps…

By: Frechy the Sailor

Frechy the Sailor — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:10:36 +0000

I’m pretty sure that if there was a market for portable drug testing kit, that could determine the amount of chemicals in the system, some company would develop it and sell it by the thousands to law enforcement agencies. (Just think of the jobs that would create, not to mention all “mom and pop” pot growers that would florish under leagilazation

By: Max Shapiro

Max Shapiro — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:44:28 +0000

^ That would work just fine by me, my earlier solution was adjusted to be possible politically. Yours would be fine except I am not sure of many non-invasive on the spot ways to tell if someone is stoned or on cocaine.

By: Frechy the Sailor

Frechy the Sailor — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:30:03 +0000

According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 alcohol related deaths annually due to drunken drivers and alcohol related injuries and diseases.
Alcohol related accidents are the leading cause of deaths among young people.
Drunk drivers are responsible for 1/2 of highway fatal injuries.
In 1988, 25,000 Americans were killed in auto accidents involving alcohol. Over one half million were injured.
Of all murders, alcohol was involved in at least 34% of cases.
Rape – More than 1/2 of rapists had been drinking.
Child abuse – mothers convicted are 3 times more likely to be alcoholics – fathers 10 times more likely.
Heavy drinking is involved in 60% of violent crimes, 30% of suicides, and 80% of fire and drowning accidents.

The economic cost of alcohol abuse is projected to be $150 billion in 1995. Alcohol & Health – U.S. dept. of H.H.S. 1/90

Prohibition doesn’t work. People will consume drugs and alcohol whether they’re legal or not.

Why not legalize all drugs and then throw the people in jail who commit crimes while under the influence of drugs just like we do alcohol?

By: Max Shapiro

Max Shapiro — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:01:16 +0000

Your argument would be true only if demand increased while supply decreased. Done correctly demand would drop or stay the same as supply levels fall. People use drugs out of boredom and depression. If we make drugs more expensive and put more money into programs that keep people occupied or happy then it will go a long way towards fixing our drug problem. I am not saying the government should run these social programs, only that they should facilitate them. IE take some of this money and funnel it to an organization that runs sporting events for kids or that provides work to the homeless. There is so much red tape in those areas, government should be the force doing the paperwork, not creating it.

By: LittleDavid

LittleDavid — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:58:31 +0000

Max Shapiro,

Your proposal to decriminalize use and come down heavy only on the distributors makes no sense.

Increasing demand while decreasing supply would only inflate the price providing even more motivation and profits for the suppliers that managed to break through the enforcement.

Third world drug supplying countries have righteously claimed that the way to stop the supply is end the demand. That when we stop demanding the product, their citizens will stop supplying it.

Personally I do not see any solution better then what we already do. It is a two pronged approach that attempts to kill the two headed snake by concentrating on both aspects at the same time. Look at the problem in its whole without saying one head of the snake is more evil then the other.

Supply is a problem. Demand is a problem. Take the steps necessary to diminish both at the same time.

By: Max Shapiro

Max Shapiro — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:57:15 +0000

Basically we should just make simple possession and use civil offenses that are at the bottom of the police department’s priorities. If you are dumb enough to be caught using the drug or with it or caught doing a crime with it on you in small amounts then you get fined a set amount, incrementally higher for the amount (up to a point, high enough and its criminal possesion) and severity of the drug, and you get no criminal record. This would only apply the first 3 times you get caught, then its a criminal offense. Fines would be pre-payable. Take all the money from the fines and split it towards social programs that keep at risk people occupied with meaningful activities and the police department/agency responsible for tracking down large producers/distributors.

By: Alter of Freedom

Alter of Freedom — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:39:08 +0000

Max no issue regarding incarceration rates regarding drugs but enforcement should be undertaken with stiff fines and penalties…oopps the far left will not go for that one just like the abuser fees. The costs of jail time is certainly an issue but maybe if we treated weed crimes more like DUI’s I could get possibly get on board. Gee think of the revenue reward of fines and the like versus covering the costs of putting these guys in jail.

By: Duck

Duck — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:23:15 +0000

Brian,
Count your blessings. It could be worse. Look at what Patterson wants to do in New York. I think the number is 88 new taxes/increase in taxes. Everything from cigars to beverages with sugar in them.

He has also decided to raise welfare checks by 10 percent in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. Ten percent each year! Not 10 percent over 4 years.

And his solution for less gov’t. spending? Don’t investigate reported cases of welfare fraud.

By: Max Shapiro

Max Shapiro — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:23:12 +0000

What is the point in enforcing laws against possession? If we stop charging people with that crap we can focus all of the money for drug enforcement on the people bringing the drugs into the country and the big distributors. Cut the supply and prices will rise lowering demand and the profit motive for drug kingpins. This is how you fix the drug problem, not by arresting users, but by destroying supply chains. We do not have the resources to take out the supply chains because we waste so much money on simple users. Its simple econ 101.

We teach our kids drugs are so horribly bad and yet we all know they have positive side effects. The negatives surely outweigh the positives, but that in now way means those positives do not exist. If people did not enjoy drugs they would not use them, we need to educate our kids as to the good and the bad so we can preserve our credibility. If that does not make sense then something is seriously wrong with your logical faculties.

By: Alter of Freedom

Alter of Freedom — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:56:13 +0000

Cut enforcement? Is not that the problem we have with illegal immigration? Just asking. Be careful what you wish for Max. Maybe your ideas are what can save Starbucks….what is this Amersterdam?

By: LittleDavid

LittleDavid — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:21:45 +0000

Max Shapiro,

Weed won’t make you retarded? Are you on weed?

By: LittleDavid

LittleDavid — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:54:05 +0000

Frenchy,

I guess those drug related prisoners didn’t learn the lesson. Don’t do the crime and you won’t do the time.